[Satnews] Cobham SATCOM is showing its new series of Portable Manual Deploy Fly-Away VSAT antennas on service provider partner Europsat’s stand (D:31) at the BVE 2016 exhibition in London this week. The EXPLORER 3075 series comes in two variants; a KA-SAT version for EutelSat NewsSpotter and the latest model configured specifically for operation on the new Inmarsat Global Xpress (GX) Ka-band network.

EXPLORER 3075 antennas are built from a firm carbon fiber composite, which ensures high performance, while being extremely portable. All antennas in the series use the same 0.75m 4-piece reflector and materials, delivering a precise blend of lightweight design with strength and durability, ideally suited to the mobile nature of outside newsgathering and broadcasting.

While providing unmatched radio performance and service reliability on Inmarsat’s global and mobile GX satellite service, the new EXPLORER 3075GX variant also offers the flexibility to switch to the established KA-SAT based NewsSpotter service when using an optional ‘field conversion kit’. The possibility for easy switching from Inmarsat GX to NewsSpotter provides flexibility for newsgathering teams to ensure they can access the best available service.

Switching using the conversion kit is straightforward; the user simply changes the antenna feed chain using a ‘bicycle style’ quick release mechanism, meaning no tools or expertise are required. Within minutes, EXPLORER 3075GX can be transmitting on the alternative satellite, ensuring availability of a high bandwidth link to the studio and the Internet.

EXPLORER 3075GX delivers reliable, high quality live streaming/broadcasting in addition to remote videoconferencing and Internet cloud services including voice, radio, data and fax. The terminal has an embedded WLAN Access Point and four LAN interfaces, allowing for multiple wireless and wired connections.

“Like Eutelsat NewsSpotter, the Global Xpress satellite network will become a key resource for outside broadcasting and with EXPLORER 3075GX we have developed a sophisticated antenna system that ensures users can make the most of the high bandwidth Inmarsat’s new service offers,” explains Henrik Noerrelykke, Vice President, Land Mobile Business Development, Cobham SATCOM.

“Because EXPLORER 3075GX shares the same platform as the EXPLORER 3075 with a ViaSat eTRIA configured for the KA-SAT NewsSpotter service, we can offer users a new kind of flexibility that allows them to choose the best available service whilst on location, ensuring their ability to broadcast regardless of environment or service status,” adds Noerrelykke.

The EXPLORER 3075GX weighs approx. 22 kg and is transported in two rugged hard cases. Each case is airline checkable and is easy to carry. The EXPLORER 3075 for KA-SAT weighs approx. 11kg and comes in a single airline checkable rugged hard case.